Pacers, West gaining national attention

With a 6-2 start to the 2011-12 NBA Season and having a league-leading six players nominated to the All-Star 2012 Ballot, it's becoming increasingly difficult for the Pacers to fly under the radar. The national media has started to take notice as exhibited by recent articles from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports and Chris Mannix and Ian Thomsen of Sports Illustrated.

Pacers have high hopes in East
By Ian Thomsen, Sports Illustrated (Jan 9, 2012)

Not so long ago Danny Granger was an All-Star scoring 25.8 points per game, and he was frustrated. Now Granger is averaging 14.9 points while shooting a career-worst 30.7 percent from the field, and he is smiling. Continue reading...

The Pacers needed a leader, too, one with enough stature to steer an impressionable locker room. Indiana showed great potential against the Bulls but the starting lineup had a combined 14 years of experienced and, reminds Granger, "six of them belonged to me." West has never been a rah-rah guy or prone to motivational speeches. He believes in keeping open lines of communication, in not letting things like minutes or contracts become an impediment to winning. And his presence has already been felt. Guards go to West for input on using screens. Big men seek him out for his advice on sealing off and beating double teams. Respect for West is obvious in the locker room. Continue reading...

Pacers president Larry Bird made Frank Vogel his coach and carefully chose his assistants to complement a young voice. But ultimately the guidance, the policing, works its way inside out. For everything free-agent forward David West has brought to the Pacers – a classic, refined presence – he’s declared his loud, bold arrival in the most subtle of ways: performance over promise, correction over criticism, a raised eyebrow over a harsh word. Continue reading...